It's funny. I've read a lot on ethics, on how to live your life properly. But we can't all be leaders deciding the fates of millions. Despite all the reading and thought I've put into it, I'm still just a guy on a computer on some forum. The chance to do something right, to face a real ethical situation, rarely happens, and even then you usually have no idea if what you're doing is right or wrong because you have so little information to work with, and you have no idea how the effects of your actions will spiral out per the butterfly effect.

That person may be right in some respects, but only in the way that there is no why for any of us to exist, given that that person probably said it in a quite negative way. There is no ultimate, objective reason for any of us to exist. There is only what we give ourselves.

I wouldn't say that's selfish. I'd wager that your guilt probably stems from a sense of unfulfilled potential. You hear these bad things, and you're sad that you aren't out there making some difference (of course, that feeling doesn't tend to relate to reality - just like how people with tons of friends can feel lonely). So you know it has nothing to do with you, but you feel like you could've done something in the abstract, and that guilt may come from knowing you aren't living to your fullest self. But most everyone feels that. And anyone who has the audacity to declare themselves as living up to their fullest potential clearly aren't. So it's not selfish. You're thinking about yourself, sure, but you're thinking about it in relation to the fact that maybe you could've done something about some similar situation somewhere. That's not making it about you. Of course maybe you feel what I said doesn't reflect you and I was off the mark and that's fine too.

"Suddenly Frodo noticed that a strange-looking weather-beaten man, sitting in the shadows near the wall, was also listening intently to the hobbit-talk. He had a tall tankard in front of him, and was smoking a long-stemmed pipe curiously carved. His legs were stretched out before him, showing high boots of supple leather that fitted him well, but had seen much wear and were now caked with mud. A travel-stained cloak of heavy dark-green cloth was drawn close about him, and in spite of the heat of the room he wore a hood that overshadowed his face; but the gleam of his eyes could be seen as he watched the hobbits."

Can't really say. A lot of my thoughts go to understanding myself, but I've never come any closer to that, and it just sort of spills over into understanding people in general as far as I've seen, despite my basically nonexistent social interaction.

When I took an IQ test while getting myself evaluated (a luxury of parental insurance) to check if I have high-functioning autism (I don't), I scored as a genius in verbal skills (i.e. a portion of the IQ test not the whole thing). Though I did score completely average on spatial skills, but I think I messed up on the instructions and oh well it doesn't matter, a lot of things I did confused and befuddled her. Either way it was only a score for >2.15% of people, so 1 in 50 people isn't exactly rare.

EagleMan wrote:It's funny. I've read a lot on ethics, on how to live your life properly. But we can't all be leaders deciding the fates of millions. Despite all the reading and thought I've put into it, I'm still just a guy on a computer on some forum. The chance to do something right, to face a real ethical situation, rarely happens, and even then you usually have no idea if what you're doing is right or wrong because you have so little information to work with, and you have no idea how the effects of your actions will spiral out per the butterfly effect.

That person may be right in some respects, but only in the way that there is no why for any of us to exist, given that that person probably said it in a quite negative way. There is no ultimate, objective reason for any of us to exist. There is only what we give ourselves.

I wouldn't say that's selfish. I'd wager that your guilt probably stems from a sense of unfulfilled potential. You hear these bad things, and you're sad that you aren't out there making some difference (of course, that feeling doesn't tend to relate to reality - just like how people with tons of friends can feel lonely). So you know it has nothing to do with you, but you feel like you could've done something in the abstract, and that guilt may come from knowing you aren't living to your fullest self. But most everyone feels that. And anyone who has the audacity to declare themselves as living up to their fullest potential clearly aren't. So it's not selfish. You're thinking about yourself, sure, but you're thinking about it in relation to the fact that maybe you could've done something about some similar situation somewhere. That's not making it about you. Of course maybe you feel what I said doesn't reflect you and I was off the mark and that's fine too.

"Suddenly Frodo noticed that a strange-looking weather-beaten man, sitting in the shadows near the wall, was also listening intently to the hobbit-talk. He had a tall tankard in front of him, and was smoking a long-stemmed pipe curiously carved. His legs were stretched out before him, showing high boots of supple leather that fitted him well, but had seen much wear and were now caked with mud. A travel-stained cloak of heavy dark-green cloth was drawn close about him, and in spite of the heat of the room he wore a hood that overshadowed his face; but the gleam of his eyes could be seen as he watched the hobbits."

I have this old friend who keeps portraying me as a bad guy to all of our mutual friends. I heard about it a little while ago, but I've let it sit so long that now I am really angry. I'm assuming the friends know its bullshit, because they've been around for most of the crap that went on between me and the old friend, but maybe some don't. I dunno. I'm just annoyed that they keep making me the villain and making themselves seem like a damsel in distress. I know the kid has problems, but I'm still quite pissed off. Especially when what they're saying about me to other people is not true.

I dunno' the best way about fixing a situation like that, besides trying to ignore the old friend, or confront them. You just gotta' believe that your mutual friends know the kind of person you are and not listen to your old friend.

My friends and I try to avoid drama as much as possible, so when one friend and another friend are pitted against each other, and one of them is trying to portray the other in a dark light, we just kinda' avoid the one that's making rumors and remarks and starting drama.

"Suddenly Frodo noticed that a strange-looking weather-beaten man, sitting in the shadows near the wall, was also listening intently to the hobbit-talk. He had a tall tankard in front of him, and was smoking a long-stemmed pipe curiously carved. His legs were stretched out before him, showing high boots of supple leather that fitted him well, but had seen much wear and were now caked with mud. A travel-stained cloak of heavy dark-green cloth was drawn close about him, and in spite of the heat of the room he wore a hood that overshadowed his face; but the gleam of his eyes could be seen as he watched the hobbits."

Can't really confront the person, because as I said the person has some deep seeded issues. They're getting help and all, but I really just do not feel like dealing with the after effects if I confronted them.

I was not sent to do Riz's bidding. Stuff, I contacted you concerning Riz of my own volition.

Personally, I think you're both being thick-headed about this whole thing, but I can see that I'm not being of any help here, so I'm stepping out of it. I will not try and force you two to talk to each other again.